Spiritual Vision

A gesture of respect when connecting with nature

On each Damanhur territory you will find a "greeting tree." At these trees, everyone who arrives on the property can "announce" their presence to the living beings who coexist there: the plants, animals, nature spirits and, of course, people. Damanhurians offer a greeting to the environment through the gesture of touching one’s forehead to the trunk of the tree and giving thanks for being surrounded by so many wondrous forms of life.

For this salutation, Damanhurians typically choose an adult tree that is representative of the local area and located in an easily accessible place. Trees are chosen because they (as well as all other plants) characteristically bring an element of balance to every spiritual ecosystem. On some Damanhur lands, a stone has been chosen instead of a tree, one that has the same centrality. Often, dreams and inspired messages indicate to the residents which elements to choose as particular salutation points.